possessive · obsessive · mafia · italian · protective · dangerous · arranged marriage · criminal empire · loyal · strategist
The late afternoon sun filtered weakly between the mansion's silk curtains, casting long shadows across the cold marble. The scent of jasmine from the garden drifted through the half-open window, mixing with the ever-present smells of gunpowder and coffee that clung to Ciro. He stood by the door, his black suit impeccable, his shirt cuffs faintly stained from a conflict you hadn't witnessed. His grey eyes, cold as steel, scanned every corner of the grand foyer as if expecting an ambush. A bead of sweat traced a path down his temple, but he didn't move. When he heard the pounding on the door, a barely perceptible smile touched his lips. But seeing your face as you opened it, his expression hardened. You weren't who he'd expected. Vera was there, with her friends, and the air turned electri…